The Surrogate
by TayBee
Summary: "It hit me like a wrecking ball. Esme and Carlisle were dead, and I was a four months pregnant with their baby." AH, OOC, Bella, desperate for cash, becomes a surrogate. It's only nine months, right?
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

* * *

_"Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'" - Anonymous._

* * *

It had been her first normal morning in two weeks. A cautious smile crossed her face as she kept down her breakfast through an hour of Saturday morning cartons. It could be a good day, she hoped. She lifted her shirt in the mirror, thinking that surely no morning sickness meant a bump was finally present.

The phone rang in the background as she started filling the bathtub. She ignored it, too transfixed by the water that was instantly hot on her skin. It was supposed to be a good day. Her phone rang again.


	2. Chapter 2

_So, um, yeah. Hi there._

_Here's what happened. I started medical school. Finished the first year. Dissected human bodies and all that. Already started my second year, actually._

_It turns out I'm really busy. And I really don't want to publish anymore. It just seems too mainstream now. So many of you have messaged me asking to read The Surrogate. And there are some pretty old PDFs out there that I don't necessarily want people looking for. So..._

_I'm reposting it. I'm reworking it. It's pretty majorly different, if you want to read it again. Or not. It's all up to you._

_Love and what not,_

_TayBee_

* * *

**Isabella Swan**

* * *

_Five days, _she thought bitterly. For _five _days Bella had been subjecting herself to nasty smelling newsprint, circling want ads that she hoped would somehow relate to her new Master's in Genetic Sciences. Her notepad was running out of paper and her fingers were constantly dyed black_. _Her hope began to drain as she approached the last page of the classifieds. _Don't get nervous, _she told herself; _something good is always on the last page._

She hated to admit it, but the number of suitable offerings on the first four pages of the help wanted section had been depressingly few, and she expected the same from page five.

She flipped the page over with an annoyed huff, earning another black mark on her hand. _I hate you, nasty news ink. _She forced herself up from her kitchen table and marched across the cracked linoleum floor. Page five could wait, her hands needed a good scrub down.

Bella had to wait a good sixty seconds before she could actually stick her hands in the sink. Her apartment fit her small budget perfectly, but that meant she often had to go without warm water or a quiet night's sleep.

When the water no longer threatened to give her frost bite, Bella soaped up, giving her hands the attention they deserved while she tried angrily to get the smell of old copper pennies off them. She currently hated no smell more than that of newsprint.

When her fingernails were sparkling and her fingerprints again pink, she returned to page five with pen and notepad in hand. She scanned over the page with her pen, refusing to again touch the paper. She let her pen hover over an ad that hadn't been present in the previous day's paper._ I could live with being a secretary. _Bella was definitely over qualified, but a paycheck was a paycheck, and if she wasn't stripping to earn it, she wouldn't complain.

When she determined the want ads officially picked over, she backed away from the table, leaving the newspaper there with reckless abandon. She had to fight everything in her to not turn around and toss out the paper that was currently tarnishing her otherwise spotless kitchen.

Her notepad became her lifeline as she called offer after offer setting up interviews. She was lucky enough to set up two interviews for the next day. One was to manage a secretary desk at a local law firm. She lived in a small enough town that she recognized most of the lawyer's names from the same disgusting paper that was currently taking over her kitchen table. According to her Internet searches, the firm won most of their cases. The second interview was with a home business. She would be helping an accountant or something get their work done. Google turned up no results when she searched the name in the ad.

With newly found optimism, she threw her hair up in a ponytail and started cleaning her already shining apartment, saving the newspaper for last.

* * *

"So when are you going to these interviews?"

Edward's voice carried into Bella's bedroom, where she was currently running a lint roller over the one good suit she had purchased while she was in college.

"The law firm wants me at ten, and the accounting lady just told me to come by any time tomorrow," she said, returning her suit to the closet. She hung it in the middle, pushing all of her other clothing items away from it, as if they could somehow contaminate the now dust free jacket and pant.

"Well that's sketchy," Edward commented with a chuckle. "You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"No, dad," Bella teased, sticking her head out her door to see Edward sprawled across her couch. _Goodness, _she thought, sneaking a quick peek at the sliver of his stomach that was showing. _He's bulked up._ "Besides, I'd rather come off as a grown up. It might be a little strange for me to take my best friend with me."

"Aw, come on, Bee," he protested. "We applied to that restaurant job together our sophomore year."

She laughed, remembering their disaster of a job at a local steakhouse. She had made him carry every single tray she ever served. "That was different," she said turning to her briefcase. When rubbing the dust off with her hand didn't give her the desired level of clean, she yanked out a wet dust towel._ I'm going to smell like lemon scented cleaner tomorrow. That should appear professional, _she thought sarcastically_. _

"How so," Edward asked, prying her attention away from the leather of her case.

"We were applying for part time jobs at a cheap restaurant, not full time jobs as professionals. And we were dating at the time, weren't we?" It was a stupid question to ask. She knew exactly what parts of her life she and Edward had dated.

"Yeah, we were," Edward said, and Bella held her breath when a soft smile crossed his face at the memory.

They had made a lot of great memories in their two short months as a couple. But she ended it when she almost told him she loved him.

_"No man," _her mother had told her,_ "ever wants to hear 'I love you' before he says it first."_

So Bella ended it. She had _probably _loved him, and she was afraid admitting it would be too much for the both of them. She told him that they couldn't take their dating seriously and that they were better off as friends. Although her feelings had faded over the years, she often wondered where they would be if she hadn't ended things.

"You wanna stay for a movie?" She asked, stopping herself from continuing on her current train of thought. "I have a few new DVDs."

"I wish I could," Edward said, pushing himself off her couch, "but I promised Lauren dinner tonight. Where's somewhere cheap and borderline romantic?"

Bella held her groan. Lauren was Edward's newest girlfriend, and Bella hated her. She was a snob, and she didn't hide her disdain for her. Of course, that only fueled Bella to get Edward's attention as often as she could.

This had resulted in Bella occasionally shoving a sock into the exhaust pipe of her dryer to get Edward to come to her apartment to play repairman instead of going out with Lauren. It was a juvenile system, but one she found highly rewarding.

"There's that new seafood place down the street from the grocery store. The one we went to last week," she suggested.

"Nah, she hates seafood."

"Oh, right," she said, having been fully aware of Lauren's hatred of fish. It was too bad Edward had also remembered.

"I'll figure something out," Edward said, pushing himself up from her couch. "I'm not sure why every small accomplishment she makes at that real estate agency has to be 'celebrated' at a fancy restaurant. Can't she just sit down for a beer and movie?" They both rolled their eyes and giggled as Edward did a little imitation victory dance.

Irritation rolled over Bella when Edward turned for the front door. He had only been at her apartment for twenty minutes before Lauren had started blowing up his phone with calls and whiny text messages.

"Will you come over tomorrow after your interviews? We can celebrate if they go well and make you forget all about them if they don't," Edward asked, turning to face her from the porch.

"You know it," Bella promised. She hugged Edward goodbye and double bolted her door as soon as he was outside.

The silence of the apartment quickly overtook her and Bella found herself skimming through the contacts on her phone, desperate for some company. Alice, her oldest friend, was honeymooning with Jasper. Her younger sister Rosalie was on a date with Emmett. Bella was hoping they'd finally set a date tonight. After an eighteen-month engagement, Rose was itching for a wedding, and Bella was tired of hearing her complain about it. College buddy Angela was a reasonable option, but at twelve weeks pregnant, she couldn't drink and would probably throw up whatever pizza Bella planned on ordering. _Geez, _she thought bitterly, _when did all my friends get old?_

With her mental list exhausted, Bella shut her DVD cabinet with an angry click. She couldn't reasonably go to bed for at least another two hours. With a sigh she moved to her bathroom, running a bubble bath for herself. With two hours to fill, she figured that she could pamper herself into looking a little better for tomorrow's interviews.

* * *

In her dreams, Bella was standing in a simple living room. Everything was a pristine white, and soon her friends were all surrounding her with bright smiles on their glowing faces. She smiled back, running her eyes across the crowd.

It was a moment later that she noticed the baby bumps, massive and present on every woman. They all smirked at her shock, nodding and placing protective arms around their tummies. Husbands appeared behind all of her expecting friends, wrapping their arms around their wives' bellies. Each man squeezed his wife and softly pulled her away from Bella, as if silently claiming, "_mine."_

Bella spun around in confusion, looking for her own husband to hold. When she found no one, she looked down to her own body. Instead of the pregnant belly she was expecting, her stomach was sickeningly concave, and as her friends began to grow even larger with their children, her ribs began to peak through the thin material of her T-shirt.

* * *

Bella pulled her little sedan up to the curb of Jefferson and Sons, Attorneys at Law a full fifteen minutes before her interview was supposed to start. _How early is too early? _She didn't want to look desperate, but didn't the fashionably late rule only apply to dating?

Bella's decision was made for her. She spilled her coffee all over her resume, forcing her out of her car and into the back seat where she had a few extra copies. _Thank God I'm always so annoyingly prepared._

When Bella walked into the office she was only an acceptable ten minutes early. The lobby was lush, with thickly cushioned carpeting covering the area and a large secretary's desk sitting in front of a long hallway.

From what she could see behind the tall desk, the secretary was wearing something similar to Bella's suit and blouse, and had red, shiny hair that rippled over her shoulders. Her lips were painted a bright red.

When Bella approached the desk, _Victoria_, as her nameplate read, kept her head down. Her eyes were focused on a cell phone, which was perched on top of her enormous belly. _She must be nine months along, _Bella thought with astonishment. _Shouldn't she be in a hospital or something?_

With a soft clearing of Bella's throat, Victoria's gaze finally lifted. After giving a short explanation of who she was and why she was there, Bella was led down wood floors to a conference room. Victoria stopped outside of a closed door with drawn blinds and reached for her breasts to manually adjust them.

Bella felt her jaw drop open and made an audible pop when she snapped her teeth back together. Victoria gave her a harsh look but soon lowered her gaze back to her chest. When she appeared satisfied with the way they pushed out of the top of her blouse, she knocked on the door. A voice called for them to enter and Victoria snatched the resumes out of Bella's hand before leading the way into the room. _Lovely, I hope my paper cuts don't bleed onto these men when I shake their hands._

Bella sized up all of the men sitting around the oblong table. She'd heard around town that these lawyers were known for their determination inside the courtroom and their promiscuity right outside of it. It was easily apparent they all lived well-established lives, but she struggled to see what exactly made women find them attractive. The first man was quite overweight and was balding rather unfortunately. The second man had a mustache that had clearly been dyed recently. The third was an elderly man, obviously Attorney Jefferson himself. His smile was as wide as Texas as he looked at Bella. She almost felt like she was back at her grandpa's house, the way he beamed at her. The last man was actually cute. He was young, with soft blond hair framing his face. It was short, not her favorite shaggy style, but professional.

The secretary moved around the table handing a copy of Bella's resume to each man. The fat, balding one pinched her butt when she walked by. Bella's eyes grew wide but she recovered by the time Victoria had turned around to hug him.

The oldest man at the table broke out into a laugh at Bella's reaction. "You can see why we need a new secretary," he said, gesturing to where the red head stood, her hands resting on top of her belly. With a sly glance, Bella noticed that she didn't have a wedding ring.

Of course, Bella knew that many women were now choosing to have babies without an established husband or boyfriend. _More power to you,_ she thought. _I couldn't imagine having a baby without a father figure to help me._

Bella smiled politely at the man's jest. She looked back to the secretary and asked when she was due.

"Not soon enough," she replied sourly. "And as of yesterday I'm officially stuck on bed rest until this little monster makes his grand appearance." Bella could tell her nonchalance was all talk. One look at her eyes and you could clearly see the fear in them.

"I'm sure it will be over soon," Bella said in what she hoped was a supportive tone.

Victoria barked out a bitter laugh. "_You _try it." She offered a tart goodbye before walking out of the room, pushing the door shut behind her.

The eldest man and the attractive one stood from their seats as Bella approached the table. The two sons reluctantly stood in compliance. _Well, at least half of them are gentlemen._

Bella made eye contact with each man as she shook his hand, thankfully avoiding any blood transfer. _My, _she thought as she shook the youngest man's hand, _he has gorgeous eyes._ She sat down at the far end of the table as the eldest began speaking.

"I'm Arthur Jefferson," his voice did little to hide his excitement. "These are my sons, Robert and Ronald," he pointed to the two older men sitting to his left. They gave Bella meek nods. "And this," he said with happiness, "is Alexander." His hand slapped down on the blond man's back, giving his shoulder a quick squeeze.

"Call me Alex," he added. "_Alexander_ reminds me of being in trouble."

Arthur laughed at him, apologized, and then twisted around in his seat. He regained his professionalism when he picked up Bella's resume.

"Well, Ms. Swan, let's find out just why you're perfect for us."

Bella smiled widely at Attorney Jefferson. He might make this job a little better. It would be nice to work with some people she remotely enjoyed. Clearing his throat, Arthur began asking her questions. What hours could she work? Why would she be a good secretary? How would she handle certain situations? He was satisfied in all of fifteen minutes.

Attorney Jefferson was done with his questions, but Robert spoke up before anyone could say their goodbyes. "I have a few additional questions." His eyes slid over to Bella and made her shiver. She could feel him study her, as if she was some new specimen in a museum.

"Oh, well ask away," she said, trying to hide her unease.

"Tell us a little about your personal life,"

Bella knew what he was doing. This had nothing to do with being hired. Her fists clenched under the table. "What did you want to know?"

"What are your hobbies? Favorite music? Are you dating anyone? Planning any engagements? Honeymoons? Planning on trying for any babies soon?"

She looked to Attorney Jefferson with wide eyes. She couldn't seriously be expected to answer that question.

"I'm not sure how that relates to my job performance," she said, finally releasing her hands from their death lock. She briefly looked to her palms. Three little crescents were marked in each one from her nails.

"It doesn't," Arthur agreed. "You don't have to answer that."

"It is a standard interview question, father," Robert spat. "Bella, if you were to plan a wedding, it would take you away from work. A honeymoon would mean your absence for at least a week. Even a boyfriend may serve as a distraction, especially if he were to ever visit you here, or if you plan on spending most of your day texting him. Pregnancies mean doctors' appointments, maternity leave, bring your kid to work day. We need to know these kinds of things so that we can find a temp to take the desk, assuming we hire you."

"Robert, those are entirely inappropriate questions." Arthur's voice was strained, anger was visible on face, from a tight frown up to depressed eyebrows.

"No, it's fine," Bella interrupted, realizing this office was more unprofessional than she expected, and more enjoyable than she had hoped. While Robert _was _disgusting, she liked seeing him squirm, and the banter these men threw at each other was quite entertaining. "I'll just answer him. I don't have a boyfriend, definitely not planning any engagements, and because of that, I'm not planning any pregnancies in my future. I won't need any temps. If my personal life should ever interfere with my work, I guarantee I will give Attorney Jefferson ample notice to find a replacement for me, but otherwise, my personal life will remain just that; personal. You will know of no boyfriends, engagements or pregnancies unless you notice a ring on my finger or a giant bump on my stomach. My phone will stay in my purse for all of the workday, if that's what you wish. I will _not _conduct myself in an unprofessional manner in this office."

Bella blushed in the quiet that had quickly descended over the room. _It was too much_, she thought. _You've insulted them all_.

"So, you're single then," Robert said, breaking the silence. Bella's gaze shot to him in disbelief. Did he really just ask that? A Cheshire grin split his face.

"Okay," Bella said, pushing herself away from the table. "I think we're done here. It was nice meeting you all." Without a chance for them to reply, she spun around and left the room. She made it to the parking lot before she heard someone calling out her name.

"Ms. Swan, wait up!" She spun around to see Alex jogging toward her, his suit bouncing at the shoulders. "I'm sorry about them, Bella. I can assure you Arthur is yelling at them right now. "

She smirked at the thought of the boys being yelled at like the children they were. "Call me Bella," she finally offered, not sure what else to say. "And they were fine. I'm sorry that I insulted you all in your place of business."

"Oh, you didn't insult anyone at all, trust me," Alex said. "In fact, Arthur and I found it quite inspiring. We almost broke out into applause. No one has ever stood up to his sons like that. I think he's hoping you'll be able to do that every day."

"Are you offering me the job?" Bella's voice instantly gave away her astonishment. "That quickly turned into the worst interview I've ever given, and you want to hire me?"

"Oh," Alex said. His voice deflated. "I mean, I'm the new guy here. I'm not able to guarantee that you'll be hired; Arthur is probably going to make that decision. But I know you excited him. Made me come chasing after you to apologize while he yelled at the boys." Alex offered a weak smile, as if saying, _sorry I got your hopes up._

Bella smiled back, trying to convey that it was okay. She didn't want him to feel responsible when she didn't get the job.

After an awkward moment passed between them, Alex offered his hand once more. "I'll call you." The statement hung for a moment before Alex furrowed his brows and his cheeks tinged a slight pink. "I mean, I'll call you to let you know about the job. I'll let you know either way, if you want me to. I can have Arthur call you instead, if you'd prefer."

Bella shook his hand and fought back her laughter. He was adorable when he was flustered.

"I'd like to hear from you, when you all have made your decision," she said, trying to put him at ease. Alex nodded and chose to remain silent until Bella spoke again.

She offered him a final goodbye before she got in her little sedan and drove off to the next interview.


	3. Chapter 3

**Alex Martin**

* * *

Alex watched Bella drive away. He shook his arms, as if moving them could somehow force off the feelings she left behind. Her car disappeared into the distance and he took a deep breath.

He couldn't believe what had just happened in that conference room. He was so shocked with all of it that he didn't speak up when Robert asked such inappropriate questions. _Perhaps, _he argued with himself, _you didn't stop those questions because you wanted to know the answers._

No one had ever stood up to Robert before, and Alex didn't know anyone else who could have done it so politely. Maybe she could resist the call of their family fortune, unlike the last three secretaries. Maybe she wasn't into the rich, disgusting playboy types. Maybe, just maybe, Bella liked the laid back guys who didn't really care if they had money of not.

"Alexander?" He spun around at his full name. Arthur was standing in the doorway.

"Alex," he corrected. He hated the name Alexander. It reminded him of a childhood he'd be more than glad to forget.

Apology crossed over Arthur's face. "I'm sorry, I swear I'll remember one of these day. What are you doing out here?"

Alex slyly glanced at his watch and realized Bella's interview had ended almost fifteen minutes ago. Had they talked for ten minutes or had he been standing by himself for longer than he had thought?

"Oh, I was just getting some fresh air," he lied. He didn't want to talk about watching Bella drive away. "How is the Clark vs. Baker adjudication going?"

He walked back into the building and began laughing while Arthur told him about Mr. Clark's latest "evidence."


	4. Chapter 4

**Isabella**

* * *

"I guess I'll just be jobless forever," Bella said, taking a long sip of her drink and letting her head fall back on the couch. "Can I sleep here when I'm homeless? I'll cook."

"You'll find a job, I promise," Edward said, gracelessly plopping down next to her. After her fiery interview with the attorneys, Bella had experienced a horrific job interview with a woman who had disguised a babysitting job as something much more desirable. A week had passed and she hadn't heard from either.

Bella snorted, "Sure, you can say that now, Mister job security. But when I'm out of money and need rent, you better hire me at your music shop."

Edward laughed and clinked his beer with hers. "I'm going to need to teach you to play an instrument, or something, first."

"Ukulele, please."

"I don't sell ukuleles."

"Well, no better time to start than now," she argued, chuckling at her own ridiculousness. She could never ask to work at his music shop.

He had worked so hard to get it up and running and it was finally starting to get a good reputation and popular with local musicians. Bella wouldn't know what to do with herself if she worked there.

"All right," Edward agreed warily, "I'll look in to ukuleles. But let's just check the classified ads first. Sound good?" She laughed at the nervousness in Edward's voice. It was obvious that he really hoped she'd find a job before he had to start purchasing ukuleles.

"Edward, the paper is picked over. There's nothing. I've even memorized what ads go where."

"I don't believe you. The holidays are coming; new jobs open up every day. Have you read today's paper? It's Sunday, I bet there are a lot of new ads."

"No," she said, feeling like a petulant child being lectured by her father.

"Come on," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her from the couch. "Let's take a look. I won't even make you touch it."

They went into the kitchen and Edward grabbed the paper off his counter. Bella sat down in a bar stool and before she knew it a warm, electric hand was covering her eyes.

"What's above the ad for the strippers?" Edward's mouth was right next to her ear. His breath caught her off guard and she felt herself gasp as it ghosted over her neck. _Breathe. Breathe. It's just Edward._

"Um," she mumbled, trying to regain her composure, "isn't it the ad for the bartender?"

"I'm impressed. What's next to the accounting ad?"

"Medical test specimen."

"That's too risky anyway," he said with a mocking chuckle. "What's below the secretary job at the attorney's office?"

"It was a car ad."

"Not anymore!" The victory in his voice was overwhelming. Bella pouted for half a moment before she realized what Edward had said.

"Wait," she ripped his hand away from her face, "there's a new job offer?" Hope overwhelmed her as she scanned down to where the new ad should be. She could get a job. She could have something to show for her twenty-seven years, since she didn't have the house or the husband or the babies.

Her eyes fell to the ad and she laughed to cover her deflating optimism. "Really, Edward?"

"Just read it," he demanded.

With a sigh she returned to the ad, reading it aloud with Edward pressed up against her shoulder.

"**_Wanted: Surrogate Mother._**

"_Surrogate mother wanted for a married couple that is unable to have children. Will be required to undergo blood tests, psychiatric exams, and physical evaluations. Any applicants with a history of drug or alcohol abuse will not be considered. Surrogate is expected to attend all doctors' appointments with both parents. Surrogate will be well compensated and cared for. She is expected to live in Rosemont for the duration of her pregnancy, and may live in a guest house provided to her if she wishes. A chef will prepare healthy meals during pregnancy. After delivery, surrogate may make use of a prepaid personal trainer to lose any baby weight. Implantation will take place at an esteemed fertility clinic in San Francisco. All travel fees will be paid._"

Below the ad was the name "Esme Cullen" with two different phone numbers.

"Well, that sounds like a good gig," Edward said, doing all but physically patting himself on the back.

"It actually does," Bella agreed. "I mean, it would only take nine months, and maybe by the time I'm done with it something new will have come up in the job market. Do you think it pays well?"

"I mean, they would pay for your flights, nine months of living and food, _and _pay for a personal trainer afterward? Sounds like they've got some money to throw around... Are you seriously considering this?"

"I'm desperate for a job, Edward. My student loans need to be paid back, my lease just went up-"

"Your lease went up?" Edward had always hated her apartment, and Bella knew it. It was in a bad part of town, her landlord was a creep, and something was always breaking down.

"Yeah, about thirty dollars a month."

"And you signed a new lease anyway?"

"It's still the cheapest place in town, Edward. I can't afford to go somewhere else."

He shook his head for a moment, "You know I could help cover you if you needed it."

"And you know I'm too proud to ask that. Besides, this surrogacy thing looks like a good gig. All my friends are getting married and pregnant anyway. I'll be glad to be a part of the group again."

"Let's do some research before we make any hasty decisions here," Edward said, pushing away from the counter before grabbing Bella's hand and pulling her to his room.

They spent the next several hours sprawled across his bed clicking through various websites.

Bella squealed and Edward blushed bright red when she read that her size A breasts could be bumped up a cup size or even two. They learned that she'd probably have to replace the four pairs of shoes she owned, since her feet would probably go up a size.

Edward reminded her about things like morning sickness and headaches that would come with pregnancy, which were promptly researched and dismissed by Bella.

After reading all they could handle about pregnancy, they moved on to researching surrogacy. Words like "gestational surrogacy," "traditional implantation," "intracervical insemination," and "in vitro fertilization," showed up on all of the websites they looked at. They found a fertility clinic in Chicago, and wondered why Bella would be flying to San Francisco for implantation.

"Maybe they've got some family out there," Edward suggested.

"Do you think they're nice?" Bella wondered if she'd have to approve this couple just like they'd have to approve of her.

Edward talked about their possible financial status. He wanted to know that they'd be financially able to support a child. Bella wanted to know if they'd raise a baby in a loving home.

Several hours passed by in this fashion. With every website they looked at, Bella grew even more determined to carry a baby for Esme Cullen.

# # #

Bella woke up with a start after yet another nightmare. She was sprawled across Edward's bed, still in her jeans and on top of the sheets. The sun peeked through the still opened curtains, informing her she'd been asleep for quite a few hours.

She was alone. A soft snore from the living room confirmed that Edward had slept on the couch. Guilt swarmed over her as she climbed off his enormous mattress and grabbed a change of clothes from the bottom drawer she had also taken over.

Bella smiled when she was able to instantly step into the shower. She loved that Edward's water heater didn't take five minutes to roar to life. She spent a little extra time rubbing soap over her belly, already feeling slightly excited at the bump that may be there in a few months. She washed up rapidly after that, thinking of a way she could repay Edward for his night on the sofa.

She was just finishing up the chocolate chip pancakes, Edward's favorite, when she heard him groan.

"Bee, baby," he called out from the living room. "I just had the most amazing dream about you and me. You made me chocolate chip pancakes."

Bella laughed at his act when he walked in the kitchen and pretended to be astonished by the plate of food she handed him. Without another word they sat down and doused their breakfast in syrup.

Their silence was broken by the sound of a key in the Edward's front door.

"Eddie, darling," called out Lauren's high-pitched voice.

"You gave her a key?" Bella asked in shock. Edward shrugged his shoulder.

"She asked for one." He turned his head before shouting out, "In the kitchen, Lauren!"

Lauren walked into the kitchen but promptly recoiled at the door. Her smile faded into a sneer as she looked over Bella. "Oh," she said with a pout, "I didn't know you had company."

"Bee made pancakes, if you want some," he offered, pointing his fork to a plateful of more. Bella smirked at the fact that he didn't apologize for her presence.

"No, thanks," she said with a grimace. "I already had an apple."

Bella nearly gagged around her fork. Of _course _Lauren would only eat an apple for breakfast.

"Suit yourself," Edward said. "But they're really good. She made them from scratch."

"I owed you," Bella explained. "You let me sleep on the bed."

"Um, excuse me," Lauren spat. "She stayed the night?"

Bella felt slightly remorseful when she saw Edward's eyes close before he lifted his face to the ceiling, his usual tale-tell sign of irritation. "She fell asleep here. I just slept on the couch. What are friends for?"

Bella watched as Lauren opened and closed her mouth several times, unsure of how to respond. Her eyebrows alternated between taking over her eyelids and hitting her hairline.

"Okay, well I was going to suggest we go do something today, but it looks like you're too busy." Lauren crossed her arms, as if to prove a point no one could exactly articulate.

"Sorry," Edward offered. "I've got to help Bee with a job interview."

Bella hid her smile by shoving another forkful of food into her mouth.

"Oh, well, I guess I'll hang out with some friends then," Lauren said. By the end of the sentence, her voice had raised a pitch. She always sounded like she was asking a question.

Lauren forced a goodbye before Edward stood to walk her out. Bella could hear their bickering and was even more sorry she'd caused her friend any problems. He didn't need to deal with Lauren's anger today.

_He doesn't need to deal with Lauren at all, _she remedied.

Edward returned to the kitchen with his chin again facing the ceiling. "She probably didn't need to know you stayed the night."

"I'm sorry, is she that mad?"

"Yeah, I'll just send her some flowers."

"My bad," Bella offered. Knowing their breakfast was ruined, she grabbed Edward's plate with hers and washed them off before putting them in the dishwasher.

"It's fine," he muttered. "You ready to make a phone call?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Esme Cullen**

* * *

Esme Cullen loved her husband. Oh_,_ how she loved him. From his always slicked back blond hair to his oddly short pinky toes. She enjoyed every day she was married to him. And the past five years had been nothing but blissful.

The only things Esme Cullen had hated over the past five years were her own failures. Her own weaknesses.

Because no matter how much Esme loved her Carlisle, she would never be able to give him a baby.

They had tried. God, they had tried for a family. But after a year of praying for _one _baby to make it, followed by another eighteen months of testing and IVF, Esme knew that she would never be able to carry a baby to term. Three miscarriages and eight failed artificial inseminations later, the doctors confirmed her deepest fears, the very reason she almost backed out of their wedding.

"_I'm sorry, Esme. There's just too much scar tissue."_

She slammed the scrapbook shut and wiped an angry tear from her eye just as the phone began to ring.


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: I know ya'll hate to read these- so this will be my last AN for a while. The way this was rewritten, there are long chapters and very short ones as well. They start out shorter and get longer as the story progresses, so hang with me. I will never post JUST a 180 word chapter. On those days, I will post two chapters._

_I'm still in med school, and this rewrite has still not been finished, so I can't guarantee regular updates. I'm sorry about that, but that has to be the center of my focus right now. And just for future reference, I'll give you the names of my original characters, should they ever pop up in a story._

_"Bella" was Vanessa Davenport (AKA Ven), "Edward" was known as Gavin Netter. "Esme" was known as Melanie Hall and "Carlisle" was Thomas Hall. No other characters were totally interchangeable so I had to do a little editing to get to the rest of the characters you know from Twilight. Anyway, if you see those names in text anywhere, I just missed it. Sorry._

_Again, this will hopefully be my last AN for this story. Hope ya'll enjoy._

_-TayBee_

* * *

**Isabella**

* * *

Bella paced the floor of her apartment while Edward watched her with a smirk. He looked too relaxed for what was about to happen. She found it annoying.

"They're going to hate me. They'll think I'm a nut job."

"Bee, chill out. They're going to love you. If they weren't excited about you, they would not have invited you over for dinner the day after you called."

"Is my outfit okay?" Bella asked, not having heard a word Edward had just said. She threw her arms up before quickly slapping them down on her sundress. She never did deal with her nerves well.

"You look fine. Can we go now?"

"Do I need more lipstick? Or would that send the wrong message?"

"Bella, you're fine. Let's go."

"Okay," she agreed. She took a few calming breaths and took a step toward the door. She halted with her hand on her doorknob. "Okay," she repeated before forcing her way out of her apartment.

She let Edward drive. His car smelled good and he had that cool, commercial-free radio in it. Bella kept herself occupied the entire ride by constantly changing stations. She knew it was driving Edward crazy, but he was kind enough to know she needed a distraction.

It wasn't long before the road they were driving on began to weave into a pattern of sharp turns, dips, and hills. They were definitely on the wealthier side of town. Before long, Edward had Bella giving directions using the GPS on his cell phone.

They eventually turned on to a private, graveled, driveway. Oaks that outdated the establishment of the city heavily surrounded the drive. Bella strained her neck to see the tops of them from her window. She had always loved the greenery of her hometown.

After a few moments, the gravel turned into concrete, lying before a house that belonged on the cover of an architecture magazine. It was a beautiful mix of classical with modern. A fountain sat in front, raining water down from the top and making a lovely sound. Dark wood and stone framed large, dramatic windows. Gardens surrounded the entire driveway and bloomed full of flowers Bella couldn't name.

"Close your mouth, Bee," Edward said. Bella let out a nervous laugh at both herself and the enormity of the situation she was getting herself into.

Edward parked a few feet from the double entry doors and helped Bella get out of the car. The front door opened before they even got to it.

A petite woman smiled enormously at Bella, and before she could even offer her hand, she was embraced in a warm hug. Her initial shock faded to pleasant surprise as the woman hugging her erupted into giggles.

"I'm Esme Cullen," the woman said after detangling herself. "You must be Bella." She turned to Edward and smiled brightly. "And you are?"

She offered her hand to Edward, who quickly kissed her knuckles. _Such a gentleman. _Bella thought with a smile.

"Edward Masen, ma'am. It's nice to meet you."

"It's wonderful to meet you both," Esme said. "Please, come inside. You must meet Carlisle,"

Edward and Bella were led into a shining atrium. They stood there and exchanged an awed look while Esme raced off to the stairs at the back of the room.

"Carlisle! They're here!"

Bella unexpectedly found herself reaching for Edward's hand. She wasn't sure why she needed the support that Edward could offer, but she was suddenly desperate for it. He understood her immediately, like always, and offered her fingers a quick squeeze.

She gave him a thankful smile before the sound of footsteps on the stairs stole their gazes away from each other.

Carlisle Cullen was an astute man. Bella could tell just by looking at him. The beaming smile on his face, however, freed her of any worry that he may be standoffish. He wrapped a loving arm around his wife and the two of them walked back to face Bella and Edward.

"Carlisle, this is Bella," Esme said, and Carlisle shook her hand politely. "And this is her boyfriend, Edward."

Bella instantly pulled her other hand out of Edward's. "Oh, we're not dating," she explained. "He's my best friend."

An awkward silence passed before Esme laughed. Bella smiled in relief. Edward shot her a quick wink.

"Your home is beautiful," Edward said, looking around the room.

Esme blushed and thanked him. "Would you like to move into the kitchen? Dinner should be ready in just a few."

"That would be lovely," Bella said. The food smelled amazing and she knew her stomach would be growling in a matter of minutes.

"I'm so glad you called us," Carlisle said as they made their way into a kitchen that was obviously designed for a family. "We didn't think anyone in Rosemont would respond to an ad like that. We were sure we were going to have to move to San Francisco."

"Do you have family there?" Bella asked.

"Oh, no," Esme began, "My old roommate from college works at the fertility clinic out there. She used to work as an assistant at the one in Chicago, but the one in San Fran offered her a case manager job. We just moved our case with her."

"It's nice that Esme has had a friend by her side for the past few years. I don't always know how to help with the girly stuff," Carlisle said, wrapping an arm around his wife.

"By girly stuff he means hormonal tears," Esme joked.

A soft ding brought her attention to her oven, and Esme broke away from her husband to tend to whatever was baking. Bella watched with rapt attention as Esme slid on her oven gloves and opened an amazingly clean double oven to pull out steaming brisket, baked potatoes, and a pan of brightly colored vegetables. Bella thought of her own little oven. With one heater out, she couldn't cook anything nearly as amazing as what Esme was putting on their dinner plates right now.

She watched Carlisle, who instantly grabbed silverware out of a drawer and began setting the table. Esme didn't even have to ask him. _Now that's the kind of man I want._ She thought with a smirk. Then she noticed Edward, who was grabbing glasses from a shelf and filling them with ice from the icemaker. _When did he ask where the glasses were?_

Bella snapped to action, asking where the napkins were and grabbing a few to set next to the silverware Carlisle had placed on their beautiful table.

Esme made everyone sit down and she placed a plate of heaping food in front of each of them. Bella watched Esme move fluidly around the table. She sat next to Carlisle once the entire table looked perfect. He kissed her cheek before asking to lead a prayer. Esme and Carlisle were catholic.

"So how did you two meet?" Bella asked after the prayer had been said and dinner had begun. "Church?"

"Oh, no," Esme said, clearly fighting back laughter. "We met at his hotel. I was a rather upset customer."

"You own a hotel?" Bella had allowed herself no time to think before she blurted out the question. She knew her eyes had to be wide. She quickly dropped her head to hide her embarrassment.

Hotels were a big deal in Rosemont, Illinois. A _big _deal. People who wanted to visit Chicago without the constant noise or smog would stay in a Rosemont hotel. It was one of the biggest industries in town.

"I own four," Carlisle said humbly. "I started with a little motel my mother gave me in her will, and then I worked my way up. Before I knew it I was buying my first hotel. I built three more after that."

"That's amazing." Bella said softly, "I bet you have to work a lot."

"Not so much anymore. When Esme and I started trying for a family I hired people to manage each hotel. They just report monthly statistics to me. That way I get to be home with Esme more."

"We met at his first hotel," Esme said, returning to the original questions. "I stayed there while checking out a few job options in Chicago. I was coming down this big wooden staircase and tripped on a loose board. I fell right over onto the banister and bruised my ribs really badly. One of the guys at the desk helped me into the break room and went to get Carlisle."

"Did he take care of you?" Edward asked, smiling at the story.

"No!" Esme's voice was so loud that Bella jumped slightly in her seat. A small laugh bubbled from Esme's lips and Carlisle covered his face with his hands. "He was _so _rude to me! I couldn't believe it! " Esme's hands flew up in the air. She grew more animated as she told the story. "I had to lie on the table in the break room because my ribs hurt too badly to sit in a chair. I couldn't catch my breath. My eyes were watering. It was awful. And Carlisle comes in, instantly accuses me of falling on purpose, and tells me they caught it on camera to prove it."

"It had been a _horrible _day," Carlisle interrupted. "I was upset, money was tight, and I was scared to death she was going to sue me for everything I had."

"Well, I was so furious that he accused me of falling on purpose I forced myself off the table and yanked my blouse open to show him the marks his banister had left on me," Esme said. "I ripped some buttons off and everything. I pointed to my ribs and screamed at him, 'Does this look like I faked it, asshole? There is a loose floorboard on the grand staircase. You might want to fix it, because the next person that falls might actually _care _about your money.' And then I stormed out with my shirt clutched between my hands!" She burst in to a fit of giggles and Bella followed right behind her. They were both wiping tears from their eyes by the end of their laughing fit.

Carlisle finished the story for her. "Once I'd seen her topless I _had_ to get her number." Esme slapped his shoulder and he winked at her. "I looked up her information in our computers and called her to apologize that night. By the end of the phone call I'd somehow asked her on a date."

The two of them broke out in laughter, and the energy they gave off had Bella glowing inside. She _loved _them. They were amazing people, and an amazing couple.

Dinner continued without a hitch. Esme talked about her career in event planning. Carlisle told hilarious stories about things he'd seen in his hotels. Edward spoke of his music store, and Bella smiled the entire time he bragged about it.

When dessert came, Esme told Bella that her parents had died from carbon monoxide poisoning when she was fifteen. She had spent the night at a friend's house and found them the next morning. Carlisle confessed that he had never had a father, and that his mother had died of cancer two years before he had met his wife. Esme and Carlisle were all the other had, and they wanted a family more than anything.

Dinner plates were cleared and soon Edward and Carlisle snuck into the living room to talk sports and admire the electronics in the room. Bella wandered the halls with Esme and eventually ended up in an unfinished nursery.

"We started this nursery during my last pregnancy. I made it four months, we thought we were in the clear." Esme said softly.

Bella watched as Esme walked over to a small white crib and grabbed a large stuffed giraffe. She hugged it softly to her chest and sat down in a rocking chair in silence. Her eyes drifted closed and she slowly rocked back and forth with the giraffe.

"When do we go to San Francisco?" Bella asked, determined to carry a baby for Esme Cullen.

Esme's eyes flew open, and tears flooded them only moments later. A shaking hand covered her lips and a soft combination of a laugh and sob escaped her.

"You're going to do this for us?" She wiped away her few tears and smiled brightly.

"I knew I wanted to be your surrogate the moment I met you."

"Oh, Bella!" Esme flew out of the rocking chair and wrapped her arms tightly around her. She was shocked by the amount of strength in Esme's arms. "Thank you so, so much. I have waited for you for too many years."

"So when do we go to San Francisco?" Bella asked again.

"We were hoping November," Esme said, dropping her arms from Bella and wringing her hands sheepishly. It was only two months away.

Bella did the math in her head. "An August baby," she said, smiling softly.

"We don't care when he or she is born," Esme said, "We just want our family to be complete as soon as possible."

"I've never been to San Francisco," Bella admitted. She tried to remember how movies had portrayed the city.

"I love it there. It's always so busy and exciting, but I'd rather raise a family in a small town like Rosemont. Have you ever been to California?" Esme bent her knees and sat on the floor. Bella followed her lead, sitting cross-legged next to her.

"Yeah. My parents, my little sister, Rosalie, and I used to go to L.A. every summer when I was little. We would visit my aunt Sue there. Laura and I would spend the whole trip on the beach while my mother watched and my father sipped coffee with his sister."

"It's a beautiful state."

Bella couldn't help but agree with her. The memories she had of California were some of her most treasured. It was the happiest her family had ever been. However, the thought of going to a new city, knowing she'd be coming home pregnant, was a little daunting.

"Esme, I know it's a lot to ask, and I'd pay for the extra ticket, but could I have a friend come out with me? This is all just a little scary."

"Of course, Bella! We were going to make you to bring a friend anyway. We'll obviously pay for their plane ticket and hotel arrangements, as well."

"Why?"

"Well, it's not a written out rule or anything, but the agency prefers we don't see you for a few hours after your implantation. Something about smothering you. So you're supposed to bring a friend to be with you that day, just in case you experience any discomfort."

"Will it hurt?" Bella suddenly found herself facing a new set of concerns she was previously unaware of. Weren't they going to knock her out for this?

"Well, the first time I had IVF done they gave me some anti-anxiety meds because I was so worried. It didn't hurt, but it was uncomfortable. I was a little sore for a few days afterwards. The second time wasn't nearly as bad."

"Oh," Bella said, talking herself down. _It can't be _that_ bad._

"Oh, Bella, you have no idea the gift you're giving us. We want this so, so badly." Soon, both women had tears in their eyes again. They giggled and tried to wipe them away faster than they fell.

Bella was going to ask more questions when she heard Edward calling her name. "Bella? We should probably get going. It's almost midnight."

She looked at her watch and realized they had been at the Cullen's home for nearly six hours.

"Oh my God, I had no idea it was so late. Can you help me find the living room? I don't have my GPS with me," she joked. Esme laughed and the two women helped each other rise from the floor. Bella looked at the photos lining the walls as Esme led her back to the front door. Most of the pictures were of Esme and Carlisle. One photo of a younger Esme with two adults that looked like her parents stood out. _They look so happy._ A warm hand wrapped around her shoulder and Bella suddenly saw Edward standing behind her.

"Thank you both for a lovely evening," he said, shaking Carlisle's hand and hugging Esme one last time. Bella followed suit, squeezing Esme like a friend she had known for years instead of one night.

"I'll call you soon," Esme said. "As soon as I get in contact with Jessica, our case manager, I'll let you know the next step."

"Thanks," Bella said. "I'm really excited about this."

With a few more pleasantries, Edward and Bella made their way back to the car, and they drove back to Bella's apartment in silence.

They idled in her parking lot for a few moments before Edward finally broke the silence.

"You're sure about this?"

Fear washed over Bella with that one simple question. Her emotions were a wreck.

"Do you want to come inside," she asked in reply.

* * *

"Ouch! Shit!" Bella yanked her hand away from the stove where the teapot was steaming. Edward appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her hand. He looked at it for a moment and began blowing a cooling breath on her bright red palm. Her skin pebbled in response to his touch.

"It's a miracle you haven't been assigned a legal guardian yet, Bee," Edward said in between breaths. "Why didn't you just use the microwave?"

Bella tried to think of any excuse as to why she was heating up water on the stove but came up empty.

"My microwave crapped out."

"This place is a shit hole."

She sighed in agreement.

"You could move in with your sister," he suggested.

"I know she wants to live with Emmett."

"With me?"

The idea was wonderful, but impractical. "You only have one bedroom."

"What about with the Cullens?"

Bella didn't know what to say. She softly pulled her hand away from Edward's grasp and grabbed a thick kitchen towel to pull the teapot off of the stove. Silence enveloped the room as she poured both Edward and herself a cup of hot chocolate.

"I'm not sure I want to become so dependent on them. It's a bad idea, right?"

Edward took a deep breath and sat down at her small table with his mug.

"You're starting to freak out about this."

She was totally unprepared for the tears that started to well up in her eyes.

"I didn't expect to love them so much," she confessed. "I didn't think I'd be so emotionally invested after just one night. I thought I'd have more time to think about it."

"You can still say no, Bella."

"I can, but I won't. I love them, Edward. They are so sweet and so loving and deserve a baby more than anyone I can think of. I have to be the one to give them this. I _want _to be the one to give them this."

"So what has you so worried?"

"I don't know," she admitted, wiping tears for the corners of her eyes. "It's just a lot to process. I could be pregnant in two months, Edward. That's not a very long time!"

"It's weird to think about."

Bella nodded and collapsed in to the chair next to him. He threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her head to his chest.

"You'll be okay, Bee," he promised. He lowered his lips to the top of her head and gave her a soft kiss. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

His phone buzzed a few moments later, and Edward soon left Bella with a tight goodnight hug before he went to pick up his very drunk girlfriend from the bar.

She fell asleep only an hour later, clutching her pillow tightly to her chest.


	7. Chapter 7

**Edward Masen**

* * *

Edward hoped Bella wasn't getting in over her head with her surrogacy plan. He supported her one hundred percent, but he was nervous for the things she refused to acknowledge.

What if she got morning sickness? Worse than that, what if the pregnancy threatened her health in any way? Would she get too attached to the baby?

Lauren babbled in the passenger's seat next to him about some girl he didn't know. He turned the corner and her head rolled in to her window with a thud.

"Ouch," she yelped, grabbing her head for dramatic effect. Her search for sympathy didn't yield her any results. Edward knew she was too drunk to feel anything.

"You're such a jerk sometimes," she spat.

"We're here," he said in reply, pulling up in to her drive way.

"Do you want to come inside? You could stay the night," she asked.

Edward was about to turn her down with his phone buzzed with an incoming text.

**Sorry to bug you so late, but my landlord is drunk and banging on my door. He won't go away and keeps shouting that he has a key. Should I call the cops? -Bee**

Panic rolled through his stomach as he thought of her landlord, James. The guy was a total creep and had tried to pick more than one fight with Edward.

"Sorry, Lauren. I can't tonight. I've got something I have to do."

Lauren mumbled under her breath what sounded like Bella's name. Edward rolled his eyes and jumped out of the car to open her door. He needed to hurry. He sent Bella a quick text while he helped Lauren stumble in to her house.

**I'm on my way.**

He dropped her on her couch and told her he'd see her soon before he ran back to his car.

It was late enough that all the stoplights on the way to Bella's apartment were flashing yellow. He made it to her apartment within five minutes of her panicked text. Sure enough, a large man was banging on Bella's door when he pulled in to the pothole-ridden parking lot. His headlights caught the man's attention and he spun around on his heels to look at Edward's car.

James started to make his way towards him as Edward got out of the driver's seat.

"Hey! You," James yelled, stumbling through puddles from the morning's rain. "You're screwing the girl in 137 right?"

Edward ignored him and walked passed him towards Bella's door. He reached the door quickly and knocked in a pattern they had established in college.

Bella cracked the door open and peered at Edward from beneath the chain. Her eyes widened with fear at the same time Edward felt a hand slap down on his shoulder.

Edward spun towards the hand so quickly that James was thrown off balance and stumbled back into the wall behind him.

"I knew you were in there! Why you hiding from me, pretty lady?" James asked, suddenly oblivious to Edward's presence.

"James, go away. Please," Bella said with a shaky voice.

"No can do, ma'am. You see, this is _my_ building, and I'm allowed to check out any apartment any time I want. Now lemme in."

Edward forced his way between James and the door.

"She told you to go away," he said forcefully.

Edward watched as James sized him up. Edward didn't have the girth that James did, but he was a good five inches taller and was sober. Edward guessed James still had enough of his wits about him to know when to walk away.

"I'm gonna go to my office," James sneered. Edward recoiled from the smell of tequila on his breath. "And I'm gonna look for my key, 137. I'm not afraid to use it." He winked at Bella with a lazy blink. He spun around and unsurely made his way to the office where he was sure to spend the next few hours fighting off one hell of a hangover.

As soon as he was a few feet away from her porch, Edward spun around to Bella. Her beautiful eyes were filled with panic and desperation. She looked at Edward and small tears started to collect on her lower eyelids.

He reached through the door and wiped a single tear off her cheek.

"Please let me in," he asked gently.

She nodded and closed the door to undo the chain. Edward walked in slowly and pulled Bella in to his arms.

She sniffled softly and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"It's okay, Bee," he whispered in to her hair. "I'm here."

"I hate this place."

"Let's pack you a bag. You're moving out right now." He had to fight to keep his voice to a normal decibel. He was furious, but Bella was upset and he didn't want to push her over the edge.

"Where am I supposed to go, Edward?"

"You can stay with me. Just, please, Bee, pack a bag and get anything you wouldn't want stolen in to you car."

Bella wiped off her remaining tears and nodded. She walked in to her room and grabbed a few duffle bags out of the closet. She passed one to Edward who headed in to her bathroom in silence.

He grabbed everything off of her counter. He didn't even look at what he was packing, but pretty soon all her drawers were empty and the bag was only halfway full.

He moved back into her bedroom and saw Bella sitting on her bed texing. He opened her top dresser drawer to throw whatever was in there in the bag as well.

"Hey!" Bella shouted. He spun towards her in shock.

"What?" Edward asked.

"That's my underwear drawer, Edward. I'm fully capable of packing those myself."

Edward smirked at her. "I've seen your panties before, Bella."

Bella flushed. The last time he had seen her panties had been years ago, when he was peeling them off her. He loved to fluster her like that.

She recoiled for another second before she smiled softly. His heart thudded heavily but he grew nervous. He knew that smile.

"You haven't seen _these _panties, Edward. Believe it or not, I have bought new underwear in the last four years. Now out."

Edward gulped and nodded in silence. He turned back to the offending drawer and closed it slowly. Before it was shut all the way, he snuck in one quick peak.

_Shit, _he thought, _that's a lot of lace._

Too dazed to be productive, he carried the bag out to her car and threw it in the back seat. A few minutes later, Bella exited her apartment struggling with a very full duffle bag. Edward ran up to her and grabbed the bag off her shoulder. She sighed in relief and he looked at the red mark on her shoulder before carrying the bag to her car.

"Do you just want to follow me to the house?" He asked when her back seat was full.

"I'm actually going to stay with Rose. I already talked to her and she said it was fine." She looked to the ground and Edward's eyebrows furrowed. What was the problem?

"Oh, well that's good. She's actually got a second bed."

Bella chuckled and nodded. She finally looked up at him and rushed forward. He wasn't prepared for her hug and stumbled back a little before he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Thank you Edward, for saving me yet again."

"Anytime, Bee," he said softly. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

She tightened her arms around his waist before she let him go. "Deal."

He walked her to her door and watched from the parking lot as she headed to her sister's house. He yawned loudly and checked his watch. It was nearly two AM.

With a soft groan he got in to his car and drove home, ready for a short few hours of sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Isabella**

* * *

Bella was barely a year older than her sister, but despite their close age, the two were polar opposites. While Bella had always loved science, Rosalie loved public relations. Bella always avoided the spotlight; Rose was a cheerleader in college and thrived as the center of attention. Bella was a dog person; Rose preferred cats.

Even their look was different. Where Bella was shorter and was a lighter brunette, Rosalie had gotten their father's height and their mother's beach blonde hair. Bella had been the child with the big brains, and Rosalie had always been strikingly beautiful.

They grew close after their parents divorced, and even closer once they rented an apartment together during college. For their college years they were inseparable, but then Bella graduated and had to leave the college apartments. Rosalie found a house a year later, but Bella didn't join her. She knew the only person Rosalie wanted living with her was fiancé, Emmett.

"Didn't want to go stay with dad?" Rose joked, hauling Bella's bathroom duffel in to her house.

Bella laughed and followed her, "I feel like he wouldn't respond to any more two AM texts well."

Rosalie laughed, obviously remembering their drunken nights in college when they would call and text their poor father.

Rose dropped the bag on to her guest bed with a thud. Bella frowned at the site of her dirty bag taking up Rose's beautiful white comforter. She idly wondered how much the thing had cost. Rose had been hired as soon as she graduated as a PR rep for their university. She loved her job and it provided her with a comfortable life style. Bella was so proud of her baby sister.

"So tell me more about surrogacy. This baby won't biologically be yours, right?"

"Right. Esme's ovaries are fine. She said that she just has some condition with her uterus. She wasn't specific about it, but she _can_ get pregnant, she just can't carry a baby to term. So they'll pull eggs from Esme, sperm from Carlisle, and then implant the embryo into me. I'll just carry it around for nine months. I'm going for implantation in November and if all goes well I'll give birth some time in August."

"Wow! And you just decided this today?"

Bella smiled and sank down on to her new bed.

"They're amazing, Rose. I mean, when I saw the ad I thought it was a great gig but then I met them and just knew I had to do it. I told them tonight that I was in."

"That's fantastic, Bella. I just can't believe it. Who would have thought you'd sign up to be a surrogate?"

Bella sighed. "It wasn't exactly my plan in life, you know? I figured I'd meet Prince Charming in college, get married right after, and be pregnant with a baby of my own by now. I guess this is the next best thing, right? I still get to be pregnant with my friends, and I finally have a paying job."

"Oh, Bella," Rosalie said, scooting closer to her sister on the comforter and throwing an arm around her. "I didn't realize you were still so obsessed with that timeline we made."

Bella sighed, remembering the "plans" she used to draw with Rose when they were little. Job by 23, married by 24, baby by 27, and so on. She was 27 now and had met none of her checkpoints.

"I'm not obsessed with it," she denied, "I just wish I had been able to keep up with all of you guys. But that's not even what this is about anymore. You have to meet Esme, Rose, you'll immediately see why she deserves a baby."

"Well, I'm glad you're sure about it. This isn't a job to jump in to."

Bella nodded her agreement.

"Speaking of timelines, Emmett and I set a date, finally. May 12th."

"Wow! You've got a lot of planning to do before then," Bella commented.

"Oh, please," Rosalie said, then laughed at herself. "What do you think I've been doing as an engaged woman the last year and a half? All I need to do is book a venue and send out invitations. Everything else is done." Her eyes drifted off for a moment. "Of course, you will be pregnant by then, so I'll need to get your maid of honor dress altered again."

The words stung, just a little bit. Bella was the older sister. She had always imagined she would be the _matron _of honor at her baby sister's wedding. Being a maid of honor instead reminded her again of the timeline.

"I'll be six months along then. How much will I be showing?"

Rosalie shrugged her shoulders and patted Bella's duffle bag.

"I don't know. We'll talk to the alterations lady as soon as we know you're really pregnant. That lady is a magician with fabric."

Bella smiled at her. "Okay, sister. It's late. Go to bed and I'll see you in the morning. I love you."

"Love you too, Bee. Goodnight." Rosalie yanked the duffel bag off the mattress and pulled the comforter down before giving Bella a hug and leaving her alone.

Bella let out a soft sigh and slipped into bed, already dressed in the pajamas she had put on hours earlier.

* * *

_Bella stood behind her sister at the front of a large, packed auditorium. Rosalie wore a beautiful white gown, but her back was turned to Bella. She tried to look over Rosalie's shoulder to see what was occurring in front of her, but she wasn't tall enough, even on her tiptoes._

_Out of slight frustration, Bella tapped on Rosalie's back, eager to see what her sister was looking at. Rosalie turned around with a vibrant smile, but it faded when she made eye contact with her._

_"Oh, will someone please help Bella to a seat?" Rosalie asked, looking to the women Bella hadn't noticed standing behind her. Someone reached for her and pulled her off the steps. She sat her down in the front row._

_From her new seat, Bella could see everything. She could see Emmett, standing across from her sister and wearing a dashing black tux. Edward stood behind him dressed similarly. God, he was still so handsome._

_ It dawned on her in a single moment of clarity. She was at her sister's wedding._

_Bella wondered why she was told to sit down. She looked side to side and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. However, when she saw her ankles, she gasped. The skin covering them was wrinkled and spotted. She moved her hands to her lap and inspected them as well. They were shriveled up and clearly belonged to an eighty-year-old woman. She looked around, desperate to see her face in any reflective surface._

_Then the pain came. Her left arm ached horribly and her neck and jaw soon followed. Her breath cut short and her heart began to beat more rapidly than she knew it could. Without her will, her lungs let out a scream of dying breath before stopping completely. She fell over on the chair next to her just as Rosalie said, "I do."_

* * *

A sharp noise sent Bella flying up from her sheets. She had died of a heart attack. At her sister's wedding. _How morbidly ironic._

The nightmares were getting worse. She sighed and moved her legs back and forth under her sister's blankets. The sheets felt as smooth as water on her skin.

She jumped up in surprise as the shrill sound of her cell phone ringing again scared the daylights out of her. She recovered herself and found it stuffed under one of the several pillows left on the bed. She answered without looking at her caller ID.

"Hello," she said, trying not to sound out of breath. Her heart was still racing from the combination of her nightmare and her angry sounding ringtone.

"Is this Bella?" She didn't recognize the voice immediately. She sat up a little straighter in bed, as if whomever she was talking to could see her.

"This is she."

"Bella, this is Alex, from Jefferson and Son's Attorneys."

Her nose wrinkled as she wondered why on earth Alex would be calling her. She had interviewed at their office nearly three weeks ago. She obviously hadn't gotten the job.

"Good morning, Alex. How are you today?"

"I'm doing very well, Bella, and how are you?" Bella bit her lip at the word "well." It seemed like such a formal way to describe your state of being, but she liked the way Alex had said it.

"I'm doing alright. What can I help you with?"

"Well, actually," Alex said, pausing for a moment. "Arthur hired a new secretary right after you interviewed, but only because he was a friend of the boys. It obviously didn't work out. It's honestly a miracle he lasted as long as he did. With the boy's pick out of the way, Arthur gets to make his choice for secretary. That choice would be you. Are you still interested in the position?"

Bella let out a little scream of victory. "Yes! Yes, I can even start tomorrow, if you want. What time should I come in? And _what _do I wear?"

She bit her tongue, stopping her rambling. _You just got hired, damn it. Don't ruin this._

Alex chuckled at her. She hoped that was a good sign.

"If you can start tomorrow that would be wonderful. We open at eight, so you should get here a little before then. Once you're trained, you'll be the one opening the office in the morning and setting it up for the day. The blue blouse you wore to your interview was perfect. Something like that should be fine on a day to day basis."

Bella felt her cheeks heat. He remembered what she wore, and she was slightly flattered.

Alex cleared his throat before speaking again. "And, uh, Bella? This isn't exactly appropriate of me to say, but I might warn you to keep it conservative. The slightest hint of, um, _cleavage, _may be too much for Robert or Ronald to handle. You obviously know how they can be."

Bella laughed. He made the word cleavage sound like it was a dirty word or something. He was so old fashioned.

"I can handle that," Bella promised. _Not like I've got a lot of cleavage to show off anyway._

They chatted for a few more minutes before Bella ended the call, promising to see Alex the next morning. She scrambled out of bed and checked her hair in the mirror before rushing out to the kitchen where her sister was cooking breakfast with Emmett.

"Guys," she sang, sliding in to the kitchen with a bright smile. "Guess who just got a job?"

Rosalie smirked at her. "Isn't the surrogate thing kind of your job now?"

Bella froze. Could she do both? She'd choose surrogacy over secretary, but she would eventually need a job after her nine months were up.

"I didn't think about that," she admitted. "Oops."

Emmett laughed at her. Bella smiled in spite of herself. She obviously didn't think of surrogacy as a job anymore. She realized it was more like a gift for a wonderful family.

"Who would hire your sorry ass?" Emmett asked. Rosalie punched his arm.

"Thanks, Rose," Bella said, still cheery as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "The law office called me today and offered me the secretary position. I start tomorrow."

"That's great, Bee! I'm glad for you," Rosalie said.

"You think they'll be mad that I'm getting pregnant? It was kind of the one thing I told them I wasn't going to do."

Rosalie shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Why you went on that rant, I still don't know. But they can't fire you for it or anything. It's illegal. I feel like a legal office would probably know that's a rule."

Bella nodded. "Good point. I imagine they're sticklers for law enforcement."

"Didn't you say one of them knocked up the last secretary? I doubt _obeying_ the law is what they're best at," Emmett said. He shot her a wink and Bella snorted in to her coffee mug.

Bella's cell phone started ringing again from the bedroom. She set her coffee cup down on the kitchen counter and jogged back to the room just in time to answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Bella! Good morning, I hope I didn't call too early." Esme's voice practically glowed. Bella smiled at her new friend. She always seemed so happy.

"Not at all," she replied. "What are you up to this morning?"

"Oh, just running a few errands, but I wanted to call and see if you had any lunch plans today. Are you free for a girl's date?"

"Gee," Bella deadpanned, "let me check my schedule." She clicked her tongue while she made an elaborate show of checking an itinerary they both knew was blank.

"Turns out I'm wide open. Where did you have in mind?"

Esme listed off a few bistros that Bella had never heard of. She found it funny that she had practically lived her entire life in Rosemont and was still completely unaware of its fancier restaurants.

"What about that place at The R Hotel? They hired a new chef last month and Carlisle says he's just amazing. I've yet to try it out," Esme eventually suggested.

"That sounds fantastic," Bella agreed, eager to see the business that Carlisle built from the ground up.

They settled a time to meet and said their goodbyes. Bella looked at the clock and saw she had several hours before their lunch date and started picking out some clothes for the day.

She dug through her duffle bag and found the least wrinkled shirt and pair of jeans she could and set about finding her makeup bag when she heard an odd noise come from the kitchen. She heard something shatter and immediately worried about Rose.

Without hesitating she darted out of her room and towards the kitchen. By the time she remembered Emmett was over it was too late.

"Oh, my eyes!" Bella screamed when she saw Emmett's naked ass. Rose sat on the counter totally nude with her legs wrapped around him. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were wide as saucers. Bella turned away from the scene and ran back to the guest room as fast as she could.

She slammed the door shut and immediately turned on the radio, unsure if Emmett and Rose were planning on finishing what they had started and unwilling to hear anything more if they were.

She wondered how much vodka she would have to drink to forget the image that was still present when she closed her eyes.

Emmett's ass needed a tan.

She shuddered.

* * *

"Oh, my God, Esme. It was terrible. I'm not sure Alzheimer's could wipe out this memory. The image of them having sex is forever burned in my brain."

Esme laughed behind her hands while tears ran down her cheeks.

"What did you say when you saw them later?"

"Nothing! I waited until I had to leave, then I bolted out of the bedroom and got straight in my car."

"That's terrible. I'm sorry I'm laughing."

Bella smiled at her. "If it was anyone else, I would laugh too. I'm not sure I can stay there another night. I couldn't bear to see that again."

Esme wiped her eyes and took a long sip of her water.

"Well, what would you think about moving in with us? I promise we'd limit sex to our bedroom. And bathroom." Esme winked at her.

"I couldn't ask that of you, Esme. I have no idea when I'll get my first pay check from the law firm, and I can't afford a new place until I get paid."

"Bella, you could stay with us as long as you wanted. We have way too many bedrooms to leave them all empty. And if timeframe is an issue, I have some news for you."

Esme leaned slightly forward and Bella found herself mirroring her posture.

"We've already spoken to our case manager, Jessica, about setting up a contract for you. Once it's ready, we'll let you have as long as you need to look it over. We'll even hire an attorney for you to help interpret it all. As soon as you sign that contract, you get the first installment of your paycheck from us. And that should be more than enough to pay a deposit on an apartment. It may even cover a few months rent."

Bella idly wondered exactly how much the Cullen's planned on paying her, but she was too proud to ask. Instead, she slowly nodded her head, thinking over Esme's offer and deciding to accept it almost immediately.

"When do you think the contract will be ready?"

"It could be as early as tomorrow, Bella."

The air rushed out of her lungs. Her stomach tightened in anticipation.

_Tomorrow_. She could be signing a contract to become a surrogate as early as tomorrow. She couldn't believe how quickly everything was happening.

_Calm down,_ she told herself. _You're sure about this._

"Are you freaking out?" Esme looked worried. She lifted her hands and started picking a cuticle while looking Bella straight in the eyes.

"Yeah," Bella said with a heavy breath. "But not enough to want to back out."

A soft sigh left Esme's lips.

"Don't worry about anything, Bella. We'll be there with you every step of the way."

Bella nodded and smiled at her.

"I know."

* * *

Their lunch ended nearly an hour after she expected it to. With a tight hug and a plan to move in the next day, Bella drove back to her sister's house.

As soon as she parked her car, Rosalie appeared in the front doorway.

"Don't you have a job or something?" Bella asked lightly, hoping to avoid all talk of the scene she had witnessed that morning.

"We got the day off so they could update the computers. It's why Emmett was over earlier today."

Apparently avoiding was not Rosalie's plan.

"Oh."

"Bella, I'm sorry about this morning. We shouldn't have been so careless."

"Rose, don't be an idiot. You're engaged. You live alone. You're allowed to have spontaneous sex, and you shouldn't have to worry about your bum sister walking in on you."

Rose's cheeks grew darker and darker as Bella made her impromptu speech.

"I still feel badly, Bee."

"Don't. Besides, I talked to Esme today. If it's okay with you, I'd love to stay one more night, but then I'm going to move in to their house until I can afford a place of my own."

Rose's eyes popped open.

"You don't have to leave!"

Bella grinned and pulled her sister in to a tight hug.

"I know that, Rose. Esme just has more room, and this way you can still have some sexual freedom in your own house."

Rosalie lightly smacked Bella's arm and shook her head while she chucked.

"Okay," she agreed. "But I'm helping you move. I want to see your new pad."

"Deal. I'm going to take my stuff over there after I get off of work tomorrow."

Rosalie nodded and led her in to the house.

"I'm so excited you got that job, Bee."

"Me too," she agreed. "I hope I like it."

* * *

_You cannot have a crush on a coworker,_ she reminded herself for the tenth time that day.

Alex flashed a wide smile at her from over her desk and she knew she was fighting a losing battle.

"So how do I transfer a call again?"

He reached over the counter to her desk and pushed a few buttons on the phone while she tried to quickly write everything down on her little notepad. This job took more work than she realized.

She looked down at her notepad and counted the tasks she was expected to complete every day. She stopped counting when she got to twenty.

_God, I hope I don't screw this up._

"Thanks," she told Alex when he finished transferring her fake phone call.

"No problem. Ready for a quiz?"

Bella's eyes grew wide. "Not in the slightest," she replied.

"Try," he said, shooting her a wink.

_No crushes, Bella._

"Code to the alarm?"

"1475"

"Good. How does Robert drink his coffee?"

"Black, three sugars."

"Perfect! See? You've got this down. How do you transfer a call?"

Bella wrinkled her nose. "I find Alex and ask him to do it."

He laughed at her and she found herself joining in without thinking about it. It was nice to laugh with Alex. She might even say it was easy to laugh with him.

A clearing throat broke their bubble and they both looked up to see Ronald standing at the end of the hallway.

"How's that petty theft case coming, Alex?"

"It's going well, Ronald. Just need to finish up the closing arguments and we should be set."

"Great," he said gruffly. "Can't wait to read it."

Without another word he turned and disappeared in to his office. The door shut slowly behind him.

"Well, I guess that means I have to leave you here for a while. Let me know if you need anything," Alex said. He pat his hand on her counter top once before retreating in to his own office. His door stayed open.

Bella sat still at her desk for half an hour, reading and rereading her notepad, before she grew bored. She looked around the office before pulling her cell out of her purse. There was a single text from Edward.

**Hope your first day has gone well. Let me know if I should order ukuleles. ;)**

Bella smirked and shot back a quick reply.

**As long as I don't get caught texting on the clock, I think I'm in the clear. –Bee.**

She threw her phone back in her purse and returned her attention to her notepad. She figured she could waste the next few hours trying to organize the list and rewrite it as nicely as possible.

Bella was ready to finish her day at work and start moving in with the Cullen's as soon as possible. She sighed in happiness, grabbed a pen, and began rewriting.


End file.
